NORTH MANKATO, MN—Carlson Craft, part of the Taylor Corp. chain, has trimmed its workforce by 114 positions in an effort to align business with economic conditions, the Mankato Free Press reported. Barb Kaus, general manager of Carlson Craft, said that consumer needs "have migrated to our solutions that are more technology enabled," according to the paper. The wholesale printing company provides stationery products and personalized accessories.
MONTREAL—Transcontinental Inc. is laying off 250 workers above the 1,500 cuts announced earlier this year, The Canadian Press is reporting. The move comes on the heels of its C$144.3 million loss for the second quarter of 2009, compared to a net profit of C$36.9 million for the same period the previous year. The company expects to generate C$100 million in cost savings with the streamlining of 1,750 jobs, which represents about 13 percent of its workforce.
SOMERSET, NJ—David Hathaway, the head of the accounting division for Toppan Printing, has been arrested and charged with stealing more than $100,000 from the printer by funneling it to a fake company that he created, according to The Star-Ledger. He was charged with theft by deception for writing checks totaling $118,178.38 to ANZ Services/A2Z Services, the paper reported. Hathaway allegedly billed Toppan's customers to mask the thefts.
SUSSEX, WI—A decline in orders and the dismal economy has forced Quad/Graphics hand again, prompting the nation's largest privately-held printer to lay off 140 employees, according to BizTimes Milwaukee. Most of the cuts will be made in Wisconsin, with prepress and its QuadTech operations absorbing the reductions. The company laid off roughly 550 people earlier this year.
MONTREAL—Quebecor World's continuing journey to emerge from bankruptcy protection is certainly not without pain. The struggling printer has notified Tennessee state officials that it will close its Memphis facility, leaving 111 people out of work, the Memphis Daily News reported.
STAMFORD, CT—The management team at Cenveo has awarded college scholarships to 51 children of company employees in the first year of a program originated by Robert Burton. The program awarded students based upon a number of criteria, including educational success, community service, athletic team and club participation.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) plans to close its regional printing plant here this month and contract the printing of its newspaper, along with the weekly Barron’s, to The Des Moines Register, that paper reported. The current WSJ plant, which employs 25 people, produced editions for a four-state area.
Brown Printing will eliminate about 200 jobs across its network of plants, accounting for roughly 8 percent of its workforce, according to the Business Journal of McHenry County (IL). A representative of the printer told the newspaper that the move was prompted by dwindling orders from its customers.
CHICAGO—RR Donnelley will close the former Spencer Press in Wells, ME, and its Hillside, IL, facility as the company continues to deal with the dismal economy. A total of 488 jobs will be lost, including 370 at Spencer Press, a catalog and direct marketing printer. The Spencer plant will close by mid-June, with staggered layoffs. Employees at both facilities will receive severance packages.
ANNISTON, AL—An employee of Consolidated Publishing endured three operations that cost him five toes after an alleged malfunctioning press roller caught the worker's foot, according to The Anniston Star. Marty Hubbard told the paper his foot got caught in a roller that had been malfunctioning "for a while." An initial surgery and two follow-up procedures saved Hubbard's foot, but not his toes. The company is investigating the incident.
